


Take The Skies from Me ON HIATUS

by voldieshorts



Category: Firefly, Tokio Hotel
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi, lightly based off Firefly (TV), the world of firefly is used but the characters aren't
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-25
Updated: 2014-12-15
Packaged: 2018-02-26 23:34:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2670530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voldieshorts/pseuds/voldieshorts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tom Trumper ends up in a shuttle that would take him and his family off planet to start their new life on another location. Unfortunately there’s something that happens in the sky and the last thing he remembers is waking up in the Polaris Colony Hospital. Cut to 17 years later where he’s been assigned a mission where he meets a companion that wears his face. Could this companion be the key to unlocking his memories or would he find out that some memories need to stay buried.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> failed Nanowrimo novel. I got stressed halfway so I had to take a break. Be gentle okay, I am well aware that these characters are OOC.

“I get top bunk!”

“No, I want top bunk!”

“Well, I’m the oldest so I should get top bunk!”

“MOM!”

“Knock it off you two! Tom, stop teasing your brother!”

 

Twelve year old Tom fought hard to roll his eyes at his mother’s request as he shared a grin with his twin. When it came to Bill, there was always teasing. Most of the time it was playful banter, anything to get their mother to sigh in exasperation. He threw his duffle on the bottom bunk, not missing Bill’s short whoop of victory as he climbed the small ladder to the top bunk.

 

Brown eyes took in the surrounding of the sleeping quarters Bill, his mother, and himself were traveling in. It was simple, metal walls with wooden dressers and floor lamps bolted down into the grated metal flooring. Through a small round door would be where his mother’s bed was, while his brother and he took the bunk beds in the small sitting area.

 

Tom had lived on Mars all of his life, and now that his mom got a new job, they would be moving off planet to a colony shuttle half a galaxy away. His parents had settled on Mars shortly after they were born, the Earth having perished to human negligence. There wasn’t much left of Earth anyway; from what he remembered from his history classes, the environment had gotten too bad so those who remained on Earth (the poor mostly), were forced to reside in oxygen regulated colonies on desolate wasteland planets or colonies built near constellations after the Earth scientist built them. To step outside on Earth's soil was instant death, the carbon monoxide permeating the atmosphere at fatal levels.

 

Between the two of them, Bill seemed the most excited to explore new places. In fact, he had always been the more outgoing twin, eager to take in everything around him. Tom was more cautious, letting Bill take the reigns even though he was the older twin by 10 minutes. In any case, he was the most protective, ready to step between Bill and danger.

 

“Alright boys, we have a long journey ahead of us. Might as well get some rest while we can.” Came his mother’s voice pulling his focus away from his thoughts. He opened his duffle bag and grabbed his pajamas to change into quickly before getting into the small bed. He heard Bill shuffle position up above him, and his mother kissed and murmured her love to him before kneeling next to his bunk.

 

“Okay Tom?” She asked, her dark brown eyes caring and warm. He hesitated before answering her.

 

“Are...are you sure this ship is safe?” It should’ve been safe, at least that’s what it said in the brochure, but Tom wasn’t all the way convinced. His mother chuckled at his worry, and kissed his forehead with a soft press of her lips.

“Of course it is honey...Now, get some sleep. It’ll be over before you know it.” She stood from her kneeling position and said goodnight to the both of them one final time, before turning the lights out and going to the backroom.

 

Tom settled in for a comfortable silence, counting his deep breaths in a way that always helped him calm his nerves. It was working for the most part, his eyelids had just started to get heavy when he heard Bill’s bunk squeak. The springs groaned in protest as his younger twin carefully crawled out of the covers and down the ladder to his. Tom sighed and scooted towards the metal walls, lifting his blanket up behind him for Bill to slide in next to him.

 

“You know, you are getting too old to sleep with me right?” He joked rhetorically, not really expecting an answer as Bill’s warmth pressed against his side. He adjusted his position to accommodate his twins until they were a tangle of limbs and Bill’s head was tucked underneath his chin. His hand came up to tangle into Bill’s soft light brown hair, longer than his own it was getting more and more every day, and listened to his brother breathe, waiting until he was ready to speak. He could always tell when his twin was upset. Even at twelve, Bill had a charming bravado. He had no problem convincing people to give him what he wants with his brown eyes and feminine lashes, whether it was convincing their mom to let them stay up longer or persuading Tom to give him the last bite of his cookie. Still, Tom could see right through him, after all they were the same soul, split into two bodies.

 

“I’m scared…” His twin said finally after a beat and Tom’s heart softened. He was big brother even if by a short while. He felt an inherent feeling to protect him even from his fear sometimes.

 

“We will be fine. I promise…” Tom whispered, fingers still massaging the base of his brother’s neck in comfort. he could only hope that what he said was true as he pushed his own anxiety down and drifted off the sleep.

\---

Tom awoke startled by loud alarms. Bill yelped next to him and rolled out of their bunk with a thunk to the floor. The older twin was thrown from the bunk as well on top of Bill as the spaceship shook and shuddered hard. Their mother came from the other room and snatched them up from the floor, shoving them to the ladder shouting at them though Tom still could not hear her over the sirens. He pushed Bill up the ladder first before following, limbs clumsy and brain fogged from sleep. He glanced around in panic as people ran every which way, the alarms drowned out by their screams up on this level.

“TOM!” He heard his mother’s voice loud in his ear and he jumped while she turned him to look at her. Her brown eyes were wide in panic and her lips moved faster than his still sleep addled brain could keep up with. “Take your brother to the nearest escape pod and do not look back, do you hear me?!” He tried to find his voice but his own confusion and fear prevent him to speak, so instead he nodded and grabbed Bill’s shaking hand tightly. She kissed them both on their mouths and held them so tightly into a quick, desperate hug to her body before shoving them in the direction in front of her.

Tom honed his focus, his mission clear and did as he was told, yanking Bill through the panicking throng of people, not knowing his mother’s scared face would be the last time he would see her again. It was a struggle to get through, between going the opposite direction of the people traffic and his brother screaming and crying for their mother.

He zigged left around a shocked woman holding a baby, barely managed to keep footing as a rather robust man shoved past him screaming before he turned to the right, down a corridor until he came across a pod entrance. A glimmer of hope and relief almost cause his knees to nearly buckle.

“Hurry, Bill! Inside! GO!” He yelled when his brother hesitated and smacked the door button. The metal door lifted and he shoved at his brother’s back, effectively getting him inside the pod.

Suddenly, the world tilted and he fell back hitting the wall with a hard whump. Pain blossomed at the back of his skull and he winced at the ringing in his ears. He blinked away the fog and focused on the sound of his brother screaming once he could hear again, his name vibrating in the sudden darkness.

“Bill?!” He called frantically, squinting harder into the pod through the dark. Thankfully, he could just see his thin arms flailing from a seat inside. That meant Bill had the sense in his panic to strap into a seatbelt.

“Tom, where are you?!”

“I’m right in the hallway Bill, it’s okay” He said as he took to slowly getting up from the floor. Just as he took a step towards the open pod door another deep shudder rocked the ship and then dipped dramatically. Tom felt both his feet and stomach drop from underneath him and he fell face first to the floor. He barely heard his brother’s voice again over the screech of metal.

He looked over his shoulder in time to see a heavy metal beam pull from the ship’s ceiling and fall full speed, but it was too big to avoid it, too fast to roll out of the way in time. It fell on him with a sickening crunch. He screeched, loud and terrifying as an agony he had never felt sparked through his very core.  

“Tommi!” Bill’s desperate cry kept him from passing out. Through his pain, he was still able to remember his promise, his sole mission. He promised his mother that he would get his brother safe, and with sheer determination he was going to do just that. He blinked through the grey that threatened to creep into his vision, and thought of the information from the brochure. The escape pods were voice activated. The ship shook steadily, no doubt descending through space and he yelled as loud as his crushed lungs would let him.

 

“Escape Pod…tw-twenty four!” He choked, blood forcing its way up his throat, threatening to suffocate him. “Commence emergency autopilot!” He could only guess if those were the right commands. But he didn't have much time; he needed to give the orders before it was too late.

“Autopilot activated. Destination?” The pod replied in a gentle voice of a woman. He opened his mouth to speak again, but a deep cough caught him instead and blood splattered on the metal grate. He gasped, feeling a sensation similar to drowning, but he still managed to push through. “Destination?” The pod called out again.

“Destination Ur...Ursa Major Military Base.”

“Tommi, what are you doing?!” The metal door shut with a soft whoosh click just as Bill reached it. He banged on the cool glass of the tiny window on the door, his voice muffled as he shouted for his brother. “Tommi wait what about you?! NO!” He continued to show and the other set of doors, one without windows shut with a click, leaving Tom alone in the hallway. He could hear the escape pod take off with a muffled bang and he knew his brother would be safe.

 

“I’m sorry Bill…” He whispered as he gave into the unconsciousness he found so hard against.

  
\---

_17 years later_

 

Tom shook from his nightmare, the sound of his communication device shrilled on his bedside. He groaned, wiping the sweat from his face and sat up, grabbing the device to see who it was trying to contact him at an ungodly hour. It wasn't a communicator number he recognized but he answered with a gruffness anyway.

“What?”

“Is that any way to speak to your commanding officer!” Came a jovial voice on the other end. He bit back a groan and threw his covers back to get out of bed, careful not to disturb the other person occupying his bed sound asleep.

“You mean my ex-commanding officer.” He snarked back once he got into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him with a soft click.

“Once a soldier, blah blah, you know.” They shared a chuckle.

“How ya been, Tom?”

“Alright I guess, but I have a feeling I'm not about to be.”

“Oh? and why’s that?”

“You don’t make it a habit to call your ex-subordinates at three am.” There was a pause on the other end and Tom felt smug that he was able to figure him out.

“It’s not three am where I’m at.” Tom groaned at his commander’s audacity to crash his victory. “On this planet it is!”

His remark elicited another laugh. “Alright, alright, you got me.” His CO’s tone then turned serious. “I have a job for you.”

“Not interested” Tom grunted immediately, a soft creak of metal as he stretched backwards against the back of the toilet he was sitting on.

“Now hold on, son...it’s not what you think.”

“I don’t care what it is, I did my service to the government. 10 years of it and I don’t plan on going back” The word government was laced with venom. He had served his time as a dog for them, and it had taken him another 4 years to wipe the blood, sweat and shame from his hands when he got out. He still lived with the nightmares.

“Hey, listen. I know you’d rather shoot yourself in the foot then re-enlist. But this isn’t a recruitment job...this is a personal job from Ambassador Shaw.”

Tom tensed at the name. Not many people in this solar system didn’t know who Ambassador Richard Shaw was. A young, and fierce leader that overthrew the corrupt dictator Tom served under, and united the colonies under a democratic parliament. His boldest move was giving full pardon to the rebels when the war ended; stating that the rebels wouldn’t have done what they did if they had only had their voices heard. The “Miracle King” they called him. Tom thought he was just a priss in a white suit. But what would the Ambassador want with him? His curiosity got the better of him and he finally answered his commander.

  
“I’m listening…”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sorry for any of this.

 

Tom wished he could go back to a week ago and punch Commander Davidson in the dick instead of taking this job.

“You alright sir?” The pilot called through the intercom as he heard him curse at another rock of turbulence.

“I -hate- flying” He growled through gritted teeth, his knuckles white from gripping the seat rests too hard. Since as long as he could remember he hated being in the air. One of the downsides to being a foot soldier, he was still ordered to fly in shuttles and those usually ended with him trying not to scream and his head between his knees fighting back nausea. The base shrink said that it could be connected to something in his past, but there was still 12 years of his life missing.  

“We’re leaving the atmosphere sir, it should be smooth from here.” Tom wanted to find comfort in those words, but he wanted to take comfort in a sedative instead. Suddenly the turbulence stopped and he was able to breathe a little easier. Now that they were in space, the they would move into a sort of warp speed and meet their destination in less than 12 hours. Despite how fast a shuttle could travel, passengers rarely felt it.

Tom never felt it, but knowing he was in something that could explode any second made it hard for him to relax. He picked up the piece of reading material, a file Commander Davidson had left with him. It it there was a brief job description and by brief there was barely anything else to go on besides “security detail.”

“Top secret” Commander Davidson mentioned, saying that it would be a security risk if he knew the details ahead of time, and when he got to the colony base he would be filled in with the rest of the job description.

Tom had heard of the Orion Colony Base during his service. It was a military base soft of, in that most of the military soldiers not in combat jobs and the higher ups were stationed there. But more than that, Orion housed the new government officials most of the year. It also housed Ambassador Shaw permanently in the most expensive, highly guarded mansion Tom had ever heard about. And now Commander Davidson had entrusted him to work a security mission for the “Miracle King” himself. It made him nervous.

He leaned back in his chair, trying to get as comfortable as he could in such a small seat. He could easily head through the door behind him, which had a ladder that descended down deeper into the shuttle where the bunks were, but he didn’t want to put himself a vulnerable position without a seatbelt. He gave a deep sigh and closed his eyes, trying to think of anything else but being in the air.

****  
  


“Sir, we’re reaching our destination.” Came the pilot’s voice over the intercom, startling Tom awake. He snorted, hand instantly coming up to wipe the drool from his face. He unbuckled himself and pulled his body out of his chair. He limped heavily over to the window, back stiff and creaking. Having slept he felt better but the feeling was short lived when the Orion Colony loading dock came into view. He strained to see the massive structure, which spanned a few thousand miles of the Orion’s belt constellation. Which wasn’t much of anything, considering the length of the actual belt was many light years between stars, but Tom didn’t have time nor the drive to actually calculate the distance in miles. High powered solar panel lined the top of the Colony to take light from the bright stars.

Having lived on the colonized Mars, Tom knew he was closer to the upper half of the Orion constellation, but living in a colony he never saw an actual sky. Mars was the first planet colonized after the Earth was no longer inhabitable, but he had heard stories of Earth’s atmosphere and that people were able to live and breathe on the actual planet at one time. He often wondered what that was like. He lived in a controlled environment, a desert like atmosphere much like the western states of North America Tom had learned in school.

The colony disappeared as the shuttle flew against a dock door, and he felt a gentle shake as it came to a complete parked stop. The intercom beeped on again as Tom grabbed his duffel near the bolted down table. “Good luck, sir”

“Thanks for the lift.” Tom mumbled back then limped towards the airtight doors. He grabbed an O2 pack on the wall and strapped it to his face. The “runways” he knew weren’t oxygenated but the gravity controls were on so he could walk to the colony gates instead of float, much like leaving a regular plane to the gate of an airport.

Once the doors opened, he moved on autopilot, having moved in and out of bases this way during his service in the Intergalactical Guard. He barely had noticed he had taken off his O2 pack once the second set of doors shut behind him and revealed a terminal similar to an airport. People from all walks of life moved in and out without a care in the world, and Tom couldn’t find it in himself to be proud that he spent 10 years protecting them. His nightmares and shamed far outweighed any sense of patriotism.

“Sergeant Thomas Trumper?” Came a shaky voice in front of him and he startled out of his thoughts to see a man no younger than 18. Fresh faced with pinkish freckles spattering his nose and cheeks made his brown eyes wider, looking much younger than he actually was. His slightly panicked look meant that Tom should probably answer him.

“Just Tom is fine, I’m not in the Guard anymore.” He said and the kid sighed in relief. Then he stood attention, complete with salute and Tom wanted to punch him in the face.

“Sir! My name is Private Gavin McReynolds. I’ve been instructed to bring you to the Guard base where you’ll meet with Commander Davidson. If we leave now sir, we’ll make it on time.” The kid all but shouted and Tom’s eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

“Okay, Gavin is it?” Tom addressed and the kid nodded. “First, at ease, or I might punch you in the face. Second, if I don’t get real food in the next five minutes, I might punch you in the face. Are we clear?”

30 minutes and a full stomach later, Tom found himself on the Intergalactical Guard Orion base. It was much bigger than any base he had ever stepped foot on, with its own shuttle terminal for military cargo ships. It was 30 miles or so away from the civilian terminal he had just came from. Soldiers ran in packs, some drove military vehicles here and there. The former soldier pulled his old ID chip out of his shirt by the silver chain it hung from; the bare skin of his chest had burned underneath the weight of it.

Their vehicle eventually stopped and Tom followed McReynolds' lead. He didn’t bother looking around, he felt if you had seen one base, you had seen them all. Besides, the private moved too fast anyway, Tom’s insistence for sustenance had made them late. But Tom knew Davidson, he owed him to wait in Tom’s opinion. While the base had familiarity, he was not used to people looking at him and whispering. Bolder people stopped and stared and it put him on edge; had his shoulders tense and attitude ready to pick a fight.

Tom almost ran into McReynolds' back before he realized they had stopped. The private gave a quick, military raps on the door.

“Enter” Came Davidson’s familiar baritone and the went inside the private office, McReynolds immediately standing in attention. Tom resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

“Sir! I apologize for our tardiness, the Sergeant-”

“At ease, Private. Thank you for bringing Mr. Trumper to me. Dismissed.” The kid nodded once, saluted, then turned on his heel, leaving with a soft click of the door closing behind him. Tom took this time of silence to take in the sight of his old commanding officer. The man hadn’t changed much, only had more laugh lines in his dark face, and more salt than pepper in his beard. And he was still short, 5’11 to Tom’s taller 6’2 frame.

“A sight for sore eyes, boy” Davidson said affectionately, pulling an equally eager Tom into a bone warming hug. Though a bit of a pain in the ass, Davidson had been a mentor on the battlefield and a father figure off it. Despite his complaining, Tom really did miss the old man.

“How’s Mars treating you?” Davidson asked once they separated. Tom rubbed the back of his neck.

“Okay I guess, just desert. Colony is small, maybe only 5,000 people.”

“Ah. Well there’s someone I’d like you to meet. This is Richard Shaw.” It wasn’t until Davidson introduced him that Tom had even noticed another person in the room. The Ambassador stepped forward, posture demanding such a presence that Tom briefly considered saluting. He was about as tall as Tom, copper skinned with a thick ebony braid down his back. He was broad shouldered and had no facial hair with a long sharp nose.

Tom blinked out of the spell and held out his hand, receiving a strong grip as he introduced himself. “Tom Trumper. It’s nice to meet you, sir.”

“A pleasure. Charles speaks very highly of you…” Shaw said, his voice gravelly from no doubt years of smoking. There was a sense of wisdom in his tone, and curiosity? The man was watching him with dark eyes like he was studying him. And it, once again, made him uncomfortable.

“So, you wanna tell me about the job I’ll be doing?” Tom’s inquiry seemed to rid the tension because Davidson nodded and Shaw cleared his throat to speak.

\---

Tom didn’t know where he was going, but he was going to stomp his way back to the civilian terminal on principle.

“Now, just hang back a minute, son! It’s not as bad as it sounds!” Davison reasoned, chasing after him. Who knew the old man could move that fast?

“Oh really? Cause it sounds like you want me to be a babysitter to some, no doubt bratty, government bedwarmer! Fuck him, and fuck you too!” He didn’t stop, too angry to get his legs to stop marching to the nearest exit.

“SERGEANT!” Davidson’s voice bellowed through the metal hallways and Tom stopped instantly, back ramrod straight from muscle memory alone.

“Tom, I know it’s been difficult for you. 17 years of not knowing who you truly are. Things you’ve done keep you up at night. I understand.” The older man’s hand came to his shoulder and gripped him comfortingly. He resisted the urge to shake it off.

“Shaw has the best resources in this side of the galaxy. You can finally find the answers you’ve been searching for. Please, reconsider.”

The former soldier gritted his teeth loudly in conflicted frustration. On one hand, he hated being pressured or obligated to do something. But, his old man had practically beat it in him the moment the social worker plopped his file on his desk; to always respect his superiors and always do what you’re told. His old man, a retired war General, had been the reason he had joined the Guard at the tender age of 15. Tom didn’t want to think about General Trumper now.

On the other hand, Tom knew he had a life before being a soldier, before he had woke up in the critical condition unit of Polaris Colony Hospital with no memory of the 12 years prior. He only knew his name and the name the nurses told him he cried out in his dreams. Whoever this “Billa” was it made his heart hurt, thinking now after 17 years he still couldn’t remember anything. Shaw was entrusting him with a task so precious, why shouldn’t he be rewarded with someway to unlock his past?

 **  
**He looked down at his hands, knuckles white and twitching as they were balled into tight fists. He slowly released the tension of his fingers one by one, aching in his joints as he breathed through his nose sharply. He had made his decision.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh so late I'm sorry! I've been sitting on this chapter for a few months but finally got around to typing all of it. The scenes coming up are lightly inspired by my own life in that the bar scene actually happened. Here is also a warning of sexy scenes cause this is me we're talking about after all.

“You’re gonna love Orion Colony, sir! We’ve got the greatest restaurants here, especially if you love authentic Chinese cuisine. The music out here is fantastic and we just had a new rugby stadium built!” McReynolds' cheerful voice came from the seat next to him, and Tom growled to himself that he didn’t have the music in his earbuds turned up louder.

 

Tom’s silence didn’t deter the young private however, instead he turned his attention back to the road and tapped to his own beat on the steering console. It wasn’t like he was actually driving anyway, most if not all the ground vehicles in the galaxy were autopilot. A silence blanketed as they rode to the barracks about 6 miles away from the main base. Even though Tom had been technically discharged, he was still employed by a government official so he could reside on a base. Tom didn’t really want to admit to himself that staying in the barracks felt more at home than any swanky hotel or apartment they could put him in for the next two weeks.

 

They pulled up to the entry gates finally and Private McReynolds flashed his ID chip for the scanner before the blockade lifted to let their vehicle through. Their vehicle followed the long windy driveway until the barracks came into view. Like all the barracks in the Guard, it was a simple 3 story building with round windows and white brick. Inside, Tom knew the mess hall and recreational room were in the small building attached to the dormitories. He also knew that while the sleeping quarters were same sex, the bathrooms were semi-public and coed. It wasn’t uncommon that male and female soldiers showered in the same place, sometimes at the same time with a divider 6 foot tall and a flimsy curtain as privacy.

 

Nakedness of any sex didn’t bother Tom, nor did it in any other company that he knew of. They all had one mission and that was to maintain the “peace.” You didn’t have time to worry about naked bodies in war, when a soldier fought alongside you to protect you as much as you protected them. However, that didn’t mean that Tom wasn’t wishing for a private bathroom like the ones in the special dorms for married soldiers.

 

The walk to his dorm was relatively short after he had glared his way out of a tour when McReynolds had suggested one. His heart fluttered in hope, because they didn’t take the elevator or stairs, instead took a small hallway off the right of the rec room. He knew the married dorms to be this way, and he couldn’t help but get a little excited. They passed three doors until they came to a door on the left.

 

“Just place your ID chip to the reader. It should be reactivated to have access to the barracks and base areas now.” McReynolds informed him and Tom nodded, pulling his chain from his shirt and pressing his pendant to the reader. It scanned it with no issue, and then beeped as the door unlatched.

 

Tom took in his surroundings once they stepped inside. He knew the married dorms came standard with two bedrooms, a full bath and a kitchen, along with a living room slash dining room combination. But this one seemed like a hybrid between that and a regular soldier’s studio. This room had an open studio feel but the master bedroom was off to the side like a nook, protected by walls and a small step down once you passed through the threshold. The bathroom was down a tiny hallway to the right, and it still had the kitchen slash living room space. Tom looked down at his large duffel bag that held just about everything he owned and suddenly felt weird about having all the extra space. At least the furniture came with place.

 

“I hope everything is to your liking” Said McReynolds in the silence as Tom inspected the pale blue walls that occupied every wall in the quarters including the bedroom area. He threw his bag on the queen sized bed and unzipped it, looking for a clean shirt. He sniffed through a few of them until he found one satisfactory (he threw the suspicious smelling ones on the floor in a corner so he could wash them later) then yanked his jacket, his hoodie and his shirt off after it.

 

“Whoa…”

 

Tom’s shoulders immediately tensed at the sound of the private’s voice behind him and it took everything in him not to scream at the kid to get out. He could feel those brown eyes on him, glued to the ugly scars that surrounded the exposed metal plating that lined the middle of his back like an external bionic spinal column from cervical to lumbar.

 

“Did you get that in the war?” The kid asked, and he frowned deeply, anxiety building and making it hard to breathe. He shook his head grunting, “Before…” before hastily pulling on his clean grey shirt, the tight cotton outlining every plate and muscle in his back. He pulled his hoodie and jacket back on as they fell into another uncomfortable silence.

 

“If you need anything...my room is on the second floor. 2B…” He didn’t answer right away to that, and McReynolds’ boots sounded towards the door.

 

“Hey kid!” Tom called out, looking over his shoulder as the private reappeared in the doorway to the nook. “Know any good bars around here? I could use a drink...”

 

McReynolds grinned from ear to ear.

  


Tom was beginning to regret his decision of letting McReynolds pick the hang out spot for the night. It wasn’t because nightclubs weren’t his thing, in fact, when he was in the mood, he thoroughly enjoyed the excited bass of house techno. But his journey to Orion has been both physically and emotionally draining, and he really just wanted a good lager and bar stool to rest his ass on.

 

“You’re really gonna love this place! They have awesome mac and cheese bites if you want them and two dollar bottles and…” and on and on the boy talked as they walked across the street towards the hard thumping coming from the building they were going to. Their ID pendants were scanned at the door by the bouncer and they were let inside, bass hitting them in waves. But to Tom’s surprise, it wasn’t electronic dance music at all, but rather a life band playing famous rock hits and getting people in the crowd to join in.

 

Tom must have had a complete shocked look on his face because McReynolds clapped him on the back with a laugh. “Let’s go get drinks!” He shouted over the guitar solo of Welcome to the Jungle by Gunz n Roses and guided Tom over to the packed bar. He flagged down the bartender after squeezing through, a pretty brunette with mixed Asian features and held up two fingers. With expert hands, she filled two draft glasses and slid them down the bar with minimal spillage and kept going. Tom took his gratefully and left money on the bar for a tip.

 

He was curious about the setup, there were two singers now from when they arrived and they were explaining the purpose of the two jars up front on the edge of the stage. They represented the crowd’s top two picks. One singer would sing a song and if someone wanted to hear the other song, all they had to do was put their money in the opposite jar and so on. Next they asked for suggestions and by the time Tom finished his beer the two songs picked were Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen and Wannabe by the Spice Girls.

 

“This should prove to be interesting!” McReynolds, well Gavin he figured he should start calling him since they were off duty, commented near his right, turning back to the bar probably for more booze. He watched with curiosity as Bohemian Rhapsody started up. It wasn’t long after someone put the first bill in the Wannabe jar that the contest started. The singers worked their vocals for all they were worth, back and forth to the point where people were nearly trampling over each other to get to the jars.

 

The songs battled to a crescendo until a woman came with a stack of bills and made it rain over the Rhapsody jar. The crowd cheered and Tom never laughed so hard in his life. It seemed to fuel the singers into making their decision and the band picked up harder. Tom didn’t think he had seen that much hair fly as everyone did the iconic headbang reminiscent of the talents of Dana Carvey and Mike Myers.

 

/So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye?

So you think you can love me and leave me to die?

Oh, baby, can't do this to me, baby,

Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here./

 

Maybe it was the friendly atmosphere or maybe it was because he was pretty buzzed after the four drafts Gavin managed to somehow feed him but he sang along, voice lost in the crowd chorus.

 

He watched the kid make a fool of himself, singing in the neck of his bottle (when did he start drinking another kind of beer?) as he did his best to make Freddie Mercury proud. The band continued to rock, the floor vibrating and Tom’s feet stamping along until the very end. There was a standing ovation and Gavin whistled shrilly through his teeth. It died down as the band gave their thank you’s and for everyone who participated and gave a reminder to thank and tip their bartenders.

 

Tom turned back around as the band picked up for a song he didn’t recognize and the bartender dropped another beer in front of him which he quickly put a hand up to decline.

 

“I’m good thank you, you can tell the kid I’m done drinking…” But the bartender smiled and tilted her head down the left (his right).

 

“it’s from that woman over there.” His head whipped around to see and he was greeted with a beautiful woman getting from her table with a martini glass cradled in her long fingers. Tom felt he might swallow his tongue she was so beautiful, his cheeks and neck suddenlt on fire. She was statuesque, near his own height he was sure if she wasn’t four inch sandal stilettos on her feet. Her purple sequined dress hugged her curves so tightly, and the color made her chocolate skin practically glow She walked with her shoulders back and head held high, demanding his full attention as she finally reached him.

 

“You wouldn’t turn down a lady buying you a drink would you?” She playfully pouted, lips dark pink so -full-. He cleared his throat and shook his head with a smile. “No ma’am, it’s just I might end up designated driver for my friend over there,” Tom pointed to Gavin who had found a couple of girls to dance like an idiot with, it was enough to give Tom second hand embarrassment. She chuckled, the sound like silver bells and her eyes glittered, a bright amber like a top shelf whiskey.

 

“So let him take a cab…” She whispered near his ear, her long thin fingers pressing against his collarbone. It made his blood pump harder through his veins and he shivered despite the heat in his limbs.

 

Tom wasn’t a stranger to one night stands. In fact, he preferred it that way. It was easier to distract against his back prosthesis to strange women, using his lips and teeth to render them speechless with desire. But women rarely approached him with such boldness, making their intentions clear without him ever learning their name. He has no choice then but to allow his lust overpower him, letting him whisper, “alright” and stand up his full height off the stool. He was right, she was only a half inch shorter than him in those heels.

 

He quickly told Gavin that they could catch up later and stay safe before following the amazon outside into the night air. He had a lot on his mind at that point, that when a limo pulled up for her he felt his heart pound in nervousness. She seemed to sense it when they climbed in because she scooted closer and put on her charm once more, long gorgeous leg draping over his and a gentle yet forceful grip on his child while she intimately pressed their lips together.

 

Tom yielded to her dominance easily, her confidence to take what pleasure she wanted from him sent tendrils of heat straight to his groin. He could only hold on as she licked into his mouth, her taste like sweet mint and honey. Her hands on him were light and teasing, fingers crawling under his shirt fabric to touch his heated skin. He gripped her thigh and pulled her into his lap, massive hands on her wide hips and squeezed. Heat spread through the cab of the limo and he sucked on her pulse point, bucking up as one of her hands cupped his bulge through his jeans and another pinched his nipple roughly. Fuck, she was so sexy; plains of dark, smooth skin exposed for his leisure and he grabbed heavy handfuls of her ass.

He was panting when she moved away and slid to her knees and he bit his lip, holding back a whimper as she pulled his length from the tight restriction of his pants. He was happy the partition was up because her mouth was obscene; kiss swollen and fat as it teasingly brushed against his head before she was taking him down, -oh fuck- swallowing down to the base and he thrusted, wet heat causing his brain to nearly malfunction.

“Shit, this is insane.” he breathed, the last syllable a moan as she slurped him up, tongue vibrating around the head and he heard her softly chuckle as she let off and pressed her lips against his again.

“We’re only getting started, love.” She promised pushing him back into his pants just as the door to his right opened. He had blood loss to his brain that he hadn’t noticed they had reached their destination. He barely paid any attention to the high class looking building as he clambered out of the car after her and inside. The doorman smiled knowingly at his disheveled appearance and greeted the woman whom, despite having his dick in her mouth a few seconds ago, didn’t even have smudged lipstick.

“Lovely evening, Miss Marisol.”

“Yes, it is, Bruce. Goodnight.”  
“Goodnight miss, and you sir.”

Tom felt awkward momentarily, and he gave an equally awkward salute.

He paid no attention to the decor of the building once inside; he had tunnel vision on her ass as it switched side to side in that tight long sleeved dress when she sashayed into the elevator. He followed her in, attacked her with a bite to her bottom lip. She gasped, head falling back against the wall of the elevator as she struggled to push the button to the floor she wanted. Her thighs fell open and his fingers seeked her center. His fingertips were met with smooth, clean-shaven skin, not a shred of fabric in sight and he damn near lost it, groaning into the softness of her  neck. He ground his groin against her thigh, agonizing pressure building in his just begging to burst free. His middle finger slipped through her wet folds and circled her clit, whimpering falling from her lips as she bucked into his hand for more pleasure.

The elevator dinged behind them and Tom hadn’t even been aware of them going up until the elevator came to a stop. She shoved him back to step off, and he chased her, pressing to her back as she led him to her door and fumbled with the key card she hid in her bra. They toppled inside and when the door shut behind them the real fun started as she smashed her lips on his, all teeth and tongue in a rough kiss and he helped her unzip her dress while pushing her to the nearest surface. They fumbled and slipped until he growled, frustrated, and he just yanked the back of her dress open, busting the zipped and yanking it off of her. It was then that Tom saw it, the star tattoo on her hip that marked her as a Companion and he paused, fear cutting through his lust addled brain. It made him open his mouth stupidly.

“I thought you were...sorry I…” He decided to close his lips before he said something really idiotic.

Tom didn’t grow up sheltered in the Guard. He knew what a Companion was and what they did. A profession based off ancient Japanese customs, Companions were more than prostitutes. They were artists, entertaining the world with their gifts in music, visionary art and other things. They loved in the moment, showed more devotion in a single night than many people will ever show in a lifetime. They were the most respected, the most desired and the most protected members of this new society. They held the most coveted, and deepest of secrets, and some say (if you believed that kind of thing) they held the secrets to life itself.

Tom on the other hand was not one of those people. While he didn’t doubt they knew all of those things, he didn’t believe in paying a price for someone’s time. He didn’t believe your dignity and trust should have monetary value, and also such an expensive one. If he continued, which according to his dick right now those cards were still very much on the table...how the hell was he going to pay?

“Shh...relax. I’m off duty,” She whispered arms coming around him, body pressing flush against his and lips caressing his pulse point. Off duty? What did she mean by that?

“It means I’m choosing to rock your world tonight. Unless you’d rather go back to your friend?” She asked playfully, hand coming down to cup his bulge again in her palm. It made his dick pulse instantly hard again in a way he hadn’t felt since he was a teenager. He didn't even care he had asked that question stupidly out loud.

“Fuck…” was all that could fall from his lips and she grinned in response. “Thought so.”

 

\---

 

Tom squinted at the light that filtered through the uncovered window on his right. Lashes fluttered against his cheeks as he slowly opened them turning his body away from the offensive brightness. He was greeted with the sight of Marisol still sleeping, tangled in the very expensive afghan he recalled was from the couch back above them. Oh, no wonder his back was killing him, as they had passed out on the floor.

He sat up with a creak in his back plates, shirt slightly stiff from sweat he insisted fucking her with shirt on. However, when he moved to stand up, he noticed his pants and boxers were  around his knees. He was actually surprised he hadn’t taken those off. His belt clanked as he pulled his clothing up and stood with soreness in his limbs then padded off to find a bathroom as quietly as he could.

Surprisingly, he managed to find it without much problem and he proceeded to take a well deserved leak, a moan escaping his lips. After he finished, he washed his hands and thought up a plan of escape. While Tom wasn’t a dick by nature, morning afters were always uncomfortable. Realizing you had nothing in common with your hook up made awkward over coffee conversations or lack there of. He zipped up and opened the door, only to find Marisol parading into the hallway as naked as she pleased with a tired smile.

“Well, good morning, or should I say early afternoon. Stick around for a minute, I just ordered brunch.” It was all she said before she headed into a room that he could only guess was her bedroom. He balked at her nonchalantness. Isn’t this the part when the service was technically over? Which would make sense in Tom’s brain, but she had kept her promise last night, done things to him that would have a priest confessing, all free of charge.

Tom supposed now would be the perfect time to make his exit without her knowing, but the idea of food woke his stomach up with a loud grumble and he found himself searching out the kitchen for a pick me up. He checked out the appliances, searching for something as familiar as a coffeepot.

Everything looked so -new-. Silver and chrome were shined to perfection and glass didn’t even have so much as a smudge or a fingerprint. The counters looked clean enough to eat off of and the cabinets were filled with place settings so expensive looking, Tom didn’t want to even touch a coffee mug.

Ready to give up, the doorbell rang and out came Marisol, dressed in a thin, white, silk robe that cost probably more than his shitty house back on Mars. She opened the door and a man in a service uniform pushed in a cloth covered card with covered dishes and tiers of mixed fruit and pastries. Marisol tipped the man with a few bills and a kiss on the cheek, to which he took his leave, shutting the door behind him.

“Tom, come sit” She said, moving the cart closer to a bistro table. He nervously sat across from her, rubbing his palms on his worn jeans while she uncovered each plate and sat the silver domes off to the side. While her plate had healthy foods, his was filled almost to the edge with bacon, eggs, sausage and the like, along with silver dollar pancakes. There were bottles of different flavored syrups and he was starting to feel overwhelmed. He had never seen this much food in his life! Even though General Trumper had money coming out of his ass, the old man believed that being a true man was to spend his wisely and frugally.

And, sure, while they had servants to cook whatever Tom’s little pre-teen heart desired back then, General Trumper was also a firm believer in control. Though, Tom still got homemade cookies from the night staff when he snuck to the kitchens at 3 in the morning. At least that was until the old man sent him off to military school after his back had fully healed.

“Well, are you just going to stare at it?” Marisol inquired teasingly, and he blushed in embarrassment, having not noticed he had spaced out.

“Sorry…” Tom apologized, then proceeded to tuck in. As soon as he took the first bite, he was in heaven. The combination of maple sugar sausage and pancakes was something out of this universe. He ate with gusto, haven’t actually eaten anything since he first got to the colon and he wasn’t about to waste it. When he was thoroughly full, there was only some of his eggs, half a piece of bacon, and one piece of toast left. He looked up to find Marisol smiling warmly as she picked at a bundle of grapes, having ate a fair amount of eggs and cured ham, herself.

“What? Do I have egg on my face?” He asked, reached up to wipe it away and she giggled, shaking her head.

“No, I’m just happy to see you enjoying yourself…” She replied and it sparked his curiosity.

“Why’s that?”

“Well….” She paused, seemingly trying to find the right words. “When I saw you last night, you looked sad...alot of frown lines in your resting face.”   
  
Tom wasn’t sure if he should be offended or not. Was all this just for charity? Did she pick him up for a pity fuck last night? He frowned at the questions his mind was drawing conclusions to but one managed to slip free without his permission. “Why me?”

She didn’t answer him right away, or at all for that matter as she stood up and took his hand, pulling him from the chair and towards the door she went into earlier. “Come take a bath with me…”

Marisol was like a flame and he, a moth; her soothing voice so sultry and tantric he let her lead without a word. She walked him through her bedroom, past the four poster California King and into the biggest bathroom Tom had ever seen. The walls had reflective hexagon tile much like iridescent fish scales in the color of dark green sea glass. Two sinks with a ridiculous amount of counter space lined one wall and a ceiling to floor mirror, the other. The toilet and (of course a bidet) was tucked around the corner. A whirlpool tub was against the bay window, so big you had to step down into it. There was water already in it, steaming and swirling about. It looked so inviting.

Marisol stepped behind him and pressed the hem of his shirt up, startling him in reaction to stop her but it was already too late because she paused halfway up.

“...can you get this wet?” she asked, concern in her voice but not in the way that Tom was thinking. He took two heavy breaths and spoke, voice low and shaky.

“As long as I oil afterwards. If I’m not careful, the screws get rust and the plating locks…”

“That’s good news, I think I might have some around here.” She said a bit cheerfully, and pulled his shirt off the rest of the way with his assistance. He turned to face her then as he himself out of his own pants and boxers, having lost his shoes and socks last night.

Once he was naked, she took off her robe and once again he was blessed with the wonderful sight of her curves. She helped him down into the tub and he couldn’t help a moan escape his lips. It felt so -good-; the temperature was perfect and the jets were soothing to his sore muscles and melted his anxiety away.

Marisol pulled his back to her body once she got in and began to wash his front. The sea sponge felt amazing on his skin and it made his nipples pebble in pleasure. He moaned softly at each stroke over his pectorals, every caress over abs, and by the time she rinsed the soap off with a squeeze of the sponge he was half hard, making his way to full hardness as she pushed him up into a sitting position to wash his back.

Tom had been blessed in many pleasures over his years. Girls, food, exotic lands, etcetera. But to have the nerves were metal meet flesh massaged by gentle hands was a whole other delicacy. Who knew that, that area was so -sensitive-? She started at the base of his neck where the first plate attached and rubbed her thumbs down the thin spots of skin, rubbing her thumb pads in slow circles as she descended to his lower back. He whimpered, squirming when she teased under the plate flaps, not quite touching the rubber spinal cord casing because it would hurt him. He was full hard then, own hand wrapped around his cock without shame or thought because the pleasure-pain he felt was driving him insane. He nearly howled when her lips took to where her thumbs had been and he had, had enough.

He turned, eyes so dark with desire that his next movements were so fast, pulling her into his lap and pressing his digits to her sex. She whined in ecstasy, thighs falling open as he slipped two fingers into her slickness; not even the water could wash away how turned on she was.

He fingered her slow, mouthing and nipping her nipples as he twisted and scissored inside her. God, she made the best noises, moaning all raspy and wanton. She rocked on his hand, while he rubbed her clip with his thumb in the same rhythm until she was coming, clutching his broad shoulders desperately and exposing her neck to his teeth once more. She bucked and twitched, cunt clenching on his fingers and her lips begging for more, “Please, Tom -please-”

He pulled his fingers from her and aligned their bodies, thrusting up as she rolled down, taking him inch by agonizing inch and it was enough to almost made him come embarrassingly quick. Their pace was much slower than the night before, more kissing and less biting. More caressing and less scratching. She moaned so pretty and he was desperate to wallow each one.

Marisol rocked steadily, water sloshing just barely over the edge. Tom groaned against her shoulder, following the rhythm she had set and his blood pumped through his veins like a fierce current.

“Oh, so good...fuck..” He moaned out his pleasure and she held him closer, flush to her body as she gripped his thin, black locs desperately. She was so tight, clenching every time she rocked forward and if she kept this up he was going to come too soon. Tom’s lips moved to her breasts again, worshiping the skin of her cleavage and all over with his tongue, gently soaked her areolas and her rhythm faltered, barely a second while her thighs twitched and he knew by that movement alone she was close. He gripped her thighs and maneuvered them to the other side, found barring in his kneeling position and proceeded to thrust with abandon.

She cried out, near screaming as she held on, praising him “yes, Tom, yes!” and he knew she was coming because he was coming with her. White light blocked his vision as his hips twitched forward at each pulse. He bit her lips and murmured apologies mixed with his own moans. All she did was grip his backside and pull him deeper, and it only made him pulse harder until he had nothing left.

The water stayed hot and they were so sweaty that the actual bathing part had been for nothing, had been just an excuse for them to get close. He pulled out and laid his face in her breasts, and she cradled his ear to her heart. He grunted contently at the beat until his back started to get stiff.

She took him out of the tub on wobbly legs and pampered him on her California King; rubbed him down with body oil, lubed up his back screws and plates before coaxing him to hardness again then bringing him off with her mouth. He fell asleep after being so worn out, and when he woke up, it was well into the evening.

He got dressed and caught a cab, but not before Marisol insisted on giving him her communicator code. He rode in the cab in a comfortable silence, and when he got back to the barracks he had pep in his step. He was just about to round the corner to his room when a familiar redhead flagged him down. He frowned and pretended not to notice him.

“Dude, where did you go last night?” Gavin sounded worried and it occurred to Tom that the kid might have been so drunk, he didn’t remember him leave.

  
“I hooked up with someone?” That actually hadn’t been the words Tom was hoping to come out of his mouth but he felt a little bit of bravado at Gavin’s jaw drop. He unlocked his door and pushed Gavin through just as the kid complained. “You’re not even here for a whole day and you’re already getting tail! No fair!” Tom’s laugh echoed down the hall as his door shut behind them.

 


End file.
